Apparatus for refining oil.



No. 647,005. Patented A r. l0, I900.

a. w. LUETKEMEYER & w. A. HABSHAW. APPARATUS FOR' BEFINING OIL.

(Application filed Sept. 16', 1899.)

(No mul.)

W/ TNE SSE 8 IN V E N 7085 :11 770/?NE r8 m: Nona PETERS m. PHQTQLITHQ, WASHINGTON. 0v :4

, ready partially purified.

rrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE W. LUETKEMEYER AND COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WILLIAM A. HARSIIAIV, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THE AMERICAN LINSEED APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,005, dated April 10, 190i). Application filed heptemher 16, 1899. Serial No. 730,678. (No model-l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GUsTAvE W. LUETKE- MEYER and WILLIAM A. I-IARsHAW, of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying Linseed-Oil and other Vegetable Oils; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for purifying linseed-oil and other vegetable oils.

The object of this invention isto obtain a purer product and at less cost.

With this object in view and to the end of attaining other advantages hereinafter appearing the invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, of our improved apparatus. Fig. II is a central vertical section of a heater employed for the coagulation of the impurities in the oil preparatory to the separation or removal of the impurities from the oil. Fig. III is a top plan in section on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is an elevation in detail, partly in section, on line IV IV, Fig. I.

Referring to the drawings, a designates a tank or reservoir containing the oil that requires purification. The oil received in the tank a is oil in a raw or crude state or oil al- The oil-containing chamber of the tank a is connected bya pipeline a with the chamber of an elevated feedtank 17. A pump a is interposed in the line of the pipe-line a and is employed in pumping oil from the tank a into the tank 19. A heater 0 is arranged at an elevation below the tank I) and comprises, preferably, a tank supplied with exhaust-steam. A pipe-line b eX- tends through heater 0 and is provided within the tank of the heater with a coil 12 The pipe-line b communicates at one end with the chamber of the tank I) and at its other end is connected and in open relation with the chamber of the tank or still d. A steam-engine 5-has its exhaust-steam outlet connected by a pipe-line c with the chamber of the tank 0. The shaft 6 of the engine is operatively connected by pulleys and belt '7 with the shaft 8, with which the pump a is operatively connected in any approved manner. The oil is heated by heater 0 to about 200 Fahrenheit and preferably to212 Fahrenheit.

'Apparatus for coagulating the albuminous matter and other impurities in the oil and for vaporizing and carrying off volatile matter is provided, which apparatus comprises, preferably, the upright still or tank d, that is arranged at an elevation below the feed-tank b and is provided at the top with a stack or line The lower end of the chamber of the tank (I is in open relation with one end of pipe-line b, that is provided with a valve 5 for regulating the flow of oil into the tank cl.- A steam-pipe line d for supplying superheated steam to the body of oil within the tank at extends into the lower portion of the said tank and there terminates in a horizontally-arranged spiral coil d", provided, preferably, with numerous upwardly-discharging orifices (Z Pipe-line d is provided with a valve 01 for regulating the supply of superheated steam to the tank (1. Pipe-line d is connected with one end of a coil 9, arranged within the heating-chamber of the superheater 10, having a stack 11, with which the stack cl is connected. The other end of the coil 9 is connected with a live-steam-supply-pipe line 12, that has a branch 13 leading to the livesteam inlet of the engine 5. The oil within the tank 61 is subjected, preferably, to a temperature of about 500Fahrenheit and is; main tained at the desired temperature by the regulation of the flow of oil into the tank or by the regulation of the heat, or by both heat regulation and oil-supply regulation. The oil is introduced into the tank cl, as already indicated, at a temperature of about 200 Fahrenheit, and the temperature ofthe oil upon the latters introduction into the tank cZ quickly rises to a temperature of about 400 Fahrenheit. The upper portion of the chamber of the tank cl forms a vapor-space that communicates with the stack d. A pipe c leads from the upper end of the oil-space of the chamber of the tank cl, and in the operation of the heater oil flows continuously to and from the tank of the heater, and the temperature within the tank at can be regulated by the manipulation of either or both of the valves 11 and d in connection with the continous fiow of oil through the heater. Preferably the oil undergoing treatment is main tained at the desired temperature within the heater by the said continuous flow of oil and the regulation of the valve N.

This invention has been reduced to practice, and good results have been attained by maintaining the temperature of the oil within the tank (1 at about4c80 Fahrenheit, and any foreign substances or matter, contained in the oil and capable of being vaporized by heat, are removable during the said heating of the oil and pass up the stack d with the steam issuing upwardly through the body of oil. The jets or streams of steam facilitate the escape of the vaporized impurities. The capacity of the tank d is preferably comparatively small, and fine results have been obtained by employing a tank that has a capacity of about fifty gallons and is suitable for treating about twenty gallons of oil at a time. The stack (1 is instrumental in creating suction within the vapor-space of the tank d, and thereby assists the jets or streams of superheated steam in conducting or discharging the volatile matter from the said tank. Sometimes, however, a more positive or vigorouslyacting suction-creating device is desirable, and we have therefore provided a suitablyoperated fan 5 within a case whose chamber communicates with and is contiguous to the stack, which fan is operated in the direction required to create or assist the creation of an outward draft in the stack. The fan is shown operatively connected by pulleys and belt 5 with the shaft 8.

The oil would not be injured bysubjecting it to a temperature higher than that hereinbefore indicated-for instance, to a temperature of 600 or 650 Fahrenheit; but the term perature must not be high enough to destroy or injure the internal lining or wall of the tank (1. The tank should be lined internally with a material or substance that is non-corrosive and not injuriously affected by the action of any substance or matter contained in the oil or steam within the tank d and that will not deleteriously afiect the product either by discoloration or otherwise. We would here remark that steam will not combine with any constituents of the oil. A lining of platinum, gold, porcelain, wood, or lead, and, preferably the latter on account of its comparative cheapness and durability, is suitable for the purpose. preferably, with an internal lining d of lead. As already indicated, the heating of the oil to the high temperature indicated coagulates albuminous matter and other foreign matter or substances contained in the oil; but this coagulated matter is of such relative weight and character as to enable it to float within Therefore the tank 01 is provided,.

the oil and be discharged from the tank with the oil into pipe 6. Pipe 6 connects with the inlet of a centrifugal machine f, whose function is to separate the oil from the albuminous or solid foreign matter discharged into the said machine with the oil. lVhether or not the temperature of the oil before its delivery to the centrifugal machine should be reduced will depend on the nature and character of the parts composing the centrifugal machine. A centrifugal machine having its interior parts composed of material that will withstand a high temperature and that is noncorrosive is desirable, so that no reduction in the temperature of the heated oil will be necessary. The centrifugal machine is driven in any approved manner and is preferably operatively connected with the shaft 8. A pipe f leads from the outlet of the centrifugal machine into the upperend of an oilaccumulating tank g, and a pipe g leads from the lower end of the said tank 9 to and connects with one end of a suitably constructed filter or filtering apparatus h,whence the oil is conducted by a pipe 7t to a refrigerating or cooling chamber of a refrigerator 70, that is constructed in any approved manner. From the oil-cooling chamber the oil is conducted through another filterl and is then ready for use.

The use of filtering apparatus has not been practical in removing the slimy albuminous impurities from the oil because the said impurities would quickly clog and obstruct the operation of the filter; but a suitable ecu trifugal machine is admirably adapted for the mechanical separation of the said impurities from the oil. The centrifugal machine, while removing the larger portion and non-filterable impurities, does not remove every trace of the said impurities, and consequently the oil is filtered after leaving the centrifugal machine in the filter h. Certain foreign substance or matter contained in the oil and an undesirable excess of fats or other ingredients of the oil cannot be removed by heating the oil. For instance, an undesirable excess of fats-such, for instance, as olein and homologues and stearin and homologues-can only be removed after congealing the same by subjecting the oil to a sufficiently-low temperature for the purpose, and consequently the oil that is filtered after leaving the centrifugal machine should be subjected to a temperature sufficiently low to congeal any undesirable excess of fats and other congealable, objectionable, or foreign substance or matter still contained in the oil, and the congealed matter is then re moved from the oil by filtration effected in the filter Z, to which the oil is conducted from the cooling-chamber by a pipe Z.

What we claim is- 1. Apparatus for treating vegetable oils, comprising an oil-receiving tank having an oil-outlet; means for effecting the coagulation of albuminous matter contained in the oil within the said tank; a passage-way leading from the oiloutlet of the aforesaid tank; means interposed in the line of the said passage-way for partially purifying the oil by separating the coagulated albuminous matter from the oil; a coolingchamber, a passageway arranged to receive the partially-purified oil and conduct the latter through the coolingchamber so as to congeal greasy or fatty impurities contained in the partiallypurified oil, and a filter arranged to receive the oil conducted through the cooling-chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Apparatus for treating vegetable oils, comprising a heater for effecting the coagulation of the albuminous matter contained in the oil, and the elimination of volatile matter; a centrifugal machine having its inlet connected with the outlet of the oil-space of the heater; a filter having its inlet connected with the outlet of the centrifugal machine; a cooler having its inlet connected with the outlet of the aforesaid filter, and another filter connected with the outlet of the cooler, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Apparatus of the character indicated, comprising an oil-supply tank or reservoir a; an elevated feed-tank b; a pump; a pipe or passage-way connecting the inlet of the pump with the said reservoir; a pipe or passage-way connecting the outlet of the pump with the feed-tank; a heater comprising a tank arranged below the feed-tank, a pipe-line connecting the outlet of the feed-tank with the oil-chamber of the heaters tank; means for heating the oil within the heaters tank to a temperature high enough to efiect the coagulation of albuminous impurities contained in the oil within the said heaters tank; a passage-way for conducting the heated oil and coagulated matter from the heaters tank, and means in the line of the last-mentioned passage-way for mechanically separating the coagulated impurities from the oil,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. Apparatus of the character indicated, comprising a tank having a vapor-outlet at the top, a passage-Way for conducting oil requiring treatment to the oil-space of the said tank; means for heating the oil preparatory to its discharge into the tank; means for supplying superheated steam to the oil-space of the tank to effect a further heating of the oil to a temperature high enough to effect a coagulation of albuminous impurities contained in the oil; a passage-way for conducting the oil from the oil-space of the tank, and means for separating the coagulated matter from the oil conducted off by the last-mentioned passage-way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. Apparatus of the character, indicated, comprising a tank for receiving the oil requiring treatment and suitably equipped to effect acoagulation of albuminous matter contained in the oil, which tank has an oil-outlet; a centrifugal machine having its inlet connected with the oil-outlet of the tank; an oil-accumulating chamber having its inlet in open relation with the outlet of the centrifugal. machine; a filter having its inlet connected with the outlet of the oil-accumulating tank; an oil-cooling chamber; a passage-way connected with the outlet of the aforesaid filter and leadin g through the cooling-chamber, and another filter arranged to receive the oil conducted through the cooling-chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed by us at Cleveland, Ohio, this 2d day of September, 1899.

GUSTAVE W. LUETKEMEYER. WILLIAM A. HARSHAW.

Witnesses:

O. H. Donna, A. H. PARRATT. 

